Support is requested to partially underwrite the costs of the inaugural Meharry-Vanderbilt National Conference on Health Disparities, entitled "Overcoming Diabetes Health Disparities". The meeting will be held September 4th through 6th, 2003 on the campuses of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Meharry Medical College. The purpose of the 2003 conference is to assemble top basic and clinical researchers who currently work on health disparities related to diabetes, along with promising new investigators, trainees and more senior faculty, to chart a course for future research endeavors in this area. The conference will be publicized in scientific journals, on the Internet, and announcements will be mailed to members of key societies, as well as to individuals known to be active in the field. A concerted effort will be made to attract trainees and young investigators by the inclusion of travel awards to attend the conference. The organizing committee is particularly interested in ensuring that women and underrepresented minority faculty and students are encouraged to attend, and to apply for travel awards.